Supporting Cancer Research UK’s “More Research, Less Cancer” Campaign (February 2024)
Simon and his wife Gillian were proud to support Cancer Research UK (CRUK) and its flagship philanthropic initiative, More Research, Less Cancer – the largest fundraising campaign ever launched by a UK charity.
Launched in February 2024, the campaign aims to raise £400 million from major donors to help accelerate a new “golden age” of cancer research, enabling scientists to move faster in preventing, detecting and treating the disease. CRUK has been clear that scientific progress is increasingly limited not by ideas, but by funding – and that sustained philanthropic support is critical to unlocking the next generation of breakthroughs.
As part of their support, Simon and Gillian made a donation to the Cancer Research UK National Cancer Biomarker Centre in Manchester, a world‑leading facility focused on developing and validating biomarkers that can help detect cancer earlier, predict how patients will respond to treatment, and guide more personalised therapies.
The Biomarker Centre is housed within the CRUK Manchester Institute, a partnership between The University of Manchester, Cancer Research UK, and The Christie NHS Foundation Trust. Co‑located on the Christie site, the Institute brings together scientists and clinicians in a single campus, helping translate discoveries from the laboratory into patient care more quickly and effectively.
For Simon and Gillian, supporting Cancer Research UK’s work reflects a belief in practical, evidence‑led research and in the importance of backing institutions at the forefront of global cancer science. It is also deeply personal as Simon has long supported charities close to his heart, rooted in a desire to deliver lasting impact to the regions and communities that have shaped him.
Simon and Gillian are proud to support a campaign – and a city – playing a leading role in accelerating progress against one of the world’s most complex diseases.
